Sources: Phillies prospect Andrew Painter to pitch in Arizona Fall League in next step of his return

NEW YORK — Top Phillies pitching prospect Andrew Painter hasn’t pitched in a competitive game since March 1, 2023, but will soon. Multiple sources confirmed on Monday that Andrew Painter will pitch in the Arizona Fall League this year. He leaves for Arizona on Monday night.

This is a big step in Painter’s development. Painter, 21, underwent Tommy John elbow surgery in 2023. For weeks, he’s been throwing live batting practice, and recovering from those sessions well.

Because he’s checked every box in his progression, and is fully healthy, the Phillies are ready to shift him from rehab mode to compete mode.

Painter, who is ranked the No. 2 prospect in the Phillies farm system by MLB.com, is built out to two innings. The tentative plan is to have him start with two-inning outings and build him from there.

His velocity is where it was before his injury. Painter’s fastball is in the 95-99 mph range, and his hard slider has sat in the upper 80′s to the lower 90′s. His changeup is in the 87-88 mph range.

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Painter is still getting a feel for the spin on his curveball, but that is normal for a pitcher recovering from Tommy John surgery. Regardless, now he has the opportunity to work on it in games with more intensity. It’ll be an important part of his progress as he tries to return in 2025.

Arizona Fall League games begin on Monday night.